Drama continues over sharing fields with schools
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Outside Foster Elementary, where a joint use field is being proposed. Photo: Claire Trageser/Axios
A new joint-use field could be coming to Allied Gardens, which would bring needed park space to the area. But some San Diegans say the fields cause too many problems.
The big picture: Joint-use fields are meant to be a win-win: Schools offer up green space that's not being used on evenings and weekends and the city pays to maintain the space.
- But drama over the fields has ramped up since COVID.
Driving the news: San Diego Unified is proposing replacing the gravel lot at Foster Elementary with a grass field, but school spokesman Samer Naji told Axios it's not possible without a joint-use agreement.
- The school district would install the grass and the city would maintain it.
- "We really view it as a win-win situation that's good for our students and families and surrounding communities," Naji said. "Through school bonds, the school district has construction money, but we're really challenged with operational dollars."
The other side: Some residents near Foster have concerns, including dog waste, noise and traffic, and that priority would be given to sports leagues who pay to use the field.
- They shared concerns at a public meeting a few weeks ago.
- "It doesn't seem like the community wants it, though all the folks at the meeting were older folks, perhaps without children at home, and most of them live next to the proposed project and would bear the brunt of traffic, noise, trash and bad behavior," Kevin Sullivan with the Allied Gardens/Grantville Community Council told Axios.
Flashback: Many San Diego neighborhoods were built in the 1950s without plans for a lot of park space, San Diego Council President Joe LaCava told Axios.
- "Parks were not particularly as important back in those days," he said.
- Joint-use fields are meant to fill in the park gap in many neighborhoods.
Yes, but: Enter the drama. During COVID, people started bringing their dogs to joint-use fields during the day when schools were closed.
- The fields are fenced in, making them very enticing dog parks.
- Dogs often run off-leash, dig holes and leave…ahem…waste.
- "While most dog owners are responsible, not all of them are, so come the next morning when the school is open and ready to use those fields, we find these droppings, holes that were dug, and that becomes a very big problem," LaCava said.
- Now San Diego has ended off-leash enforcement, meaning there are no patrols to deter bad dog behavior.
Case in point: It got so bad at Crown Point Junior Music Academy that the field was closed to the public.
What's next: In Allied Gardens, the neighborhood council will vote tonight on a recommendation over the Foster field.
- LaCava said he thinks the city should slow down approval of any new joint-use fields until issues are ironed out.
- "We've talked about the fact that we should not add any more fields, but I would not want to take them off the table because they can be such a valuable addition to these neighborhoods," he said. "I hope we can navigate this and keep them open, but we've got to think about the students first and foremost."